1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic program guides.
2. Description of Related Art
Digital broadcasting systems are operated in recent years, which transmit digitized television signals via satellites, such as broadcasting satellites and communication satellites, for reception by viewers so that they can watch television programs at home. A system of this type can provide so many channels that a multitude of programs can be aired.
Such a system transmits, from a satellite to a receiver at each viewer's home, information about an electronic program guide (EPG) indicative of contents of these many programs together with their video/audio data. At home, the user operates the receiver to display the EPG on a TV display. Over the EPG displayed on the TV display, the user can search for programs, tune to programs to view/record them, and schedule programs for viewing/recording.
However, the EPG provides well over 100 programs, and all of them cannot be displayed within a single program guide screen.
Thus, the user cannot browse through a large EPG page at once, and hence encounters difficulty quickly locating particular channels and time slots associated with programs which fall into his/her favorite display mode for displaying the corresponding program cells, in the program guide. The user can also view program cells in the display modes corresponding to respective categories, in the program guide, whereby the user can quickly locate an area or areas crowded with programs belonging to his/her favorite categories. Further, the user can set the display priority level for each category, and hence can rank the categories which he/she wishes to display in the program guide, and can display the program cells based on the rankings in the program guide, whereby the user can create his/her own program guide.
Further, the program guide allows the user to identify a category via the corresponding display mode for displaying the corresponding program cells, and hence, there is no need to enter a lot of textual information in each program cell as in conventional equivalents, whereby a greater number of program cells can be displayed within a single screen.
In one aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, the program guiding apparatus is provided with: a device for displaying said generated program guide on a two-dimensional screen; a device for accepting a selection of one of said plurality of program cells arranged on said displayed program guide; and a device for generating an information display screen in a display mode related to said display mode for displaying said selected program cell and displaying predetermined information related to said selected program cell in said information display screen.
According to this aspect, a user can selects program cell and check the program cell information.
In another aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, the program guiding apparatus is provided with: a device for displaying said generated program guide on a two-dimensional screen; a device for accepting a selection of one of said plurality of program cells arranged on said displayed program guide; and a device for generating an information display screen in a display mode related to said display mode for displaying said selected program cell and displaying predetermined information related to said selected program cell in said information display screen; wherein said predetermined information includes program information corresponding to said program cell.
According to this aspect, the user can check program information, which he/she cannot check with the program cell, in the information display screen corresponding to the program cell.
In further aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, the program guiding apparatus is provided with: a device for displaying said generated program guide on a two-dimensional screen; a device for accepting a designation of an area including at least one program cell on said displayed program guide; and a device for displaying information based on a predetermined attribute related to at least one program corresponding to at least one program cell included in said designated predetermined area.
According to this aspect, the user can check information based on a predetermined attribute related to programs, in the program guide easily.
In further aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, the program guiding apparatus is provided with: a device for displaying said generated program guide on a two-dimensional screen; a device for accepting a designation of an area including at least one program cell on said displayed program guide; and a device for collecting statistics on a predetermined program attribute for at least one program corresponding to said at least one program cell included in said designated predetermined area.
According to this aspect, the user can collect statistics on a predetermined attribute as to programs within a user-designated area. For example, the user can collect statistics regarding programs in which a particular entertainer appears.
In further aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, the program guiding apparatus is provided with: a device for displaying said generated program guide on a two-dimensional screen; a device for accepting a designation of an area including at least one program cell on said displayed program guide; and a device for collecting statistics on a predetermined program attribute for at least one program corresponding to said at least one program cell included in said designated predetermined area; wherein said collected statistics are displayed on said program guide.
According to this aspect, the user can check the statistical result.
In further aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, the program guiding apparatus is provided with: a device for displaying said generated program guide on a two-dimensional screen; and a search device for searching for an area in which a predetermined program attribute satisfies a predetermined condition, in said program guide, and indicating said searched area in said program guide.
According to this aspect, the user can search for an area in which a predetermined program attribute satisfies a predetermined condition, for example, an area having five or more programs falling into a category or categories added to a table as favorites.
In further aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, the program guiding apparatus is provided with: a device for displaying said generated program guide on a two-dimensional screen; a search device for searching for an area in which a predetermined program attribute satisfies a predetermined condition, in said program guide, and indicating said searched area in said program guide; and a device for accepting a direction to move said searched area, wherein said search device searches for another area in which said predetermined program attribute satisfies said predetermined condition, other than said previously searched area, every time said search device accepts said direction to move the area.
According to this aspect, the user can search for and check areas in which a predetermined program attribute satisfies a predetermined condition one after another.
In further aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, said display priority level is automatically set based on a history by a user.
According to this aspect, the time and labor, setting a display priority level, on the part of the user can be reduced.
In further aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, said display priority level is set by a user.
According to this aspect, the user can set the display priority level as he/she likes.
In further aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, said display mode includes a shape, a pattern, and a color of a program cell, or combinations thereof.
According to this aspect, a user can check a program cell information easily.
In further aspect of the program guiding apparatus of the present invention, there are a plurality of categories, and wherein said display priority level and said display mode are set for each of said plurality of categories to display program cells corresponding to said each of said plurality of categories.
According to this aspect, a user can check a program cell easily.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following program guiding method of the present invention. The program guiding method is provided with the steps of: storing program information including a category to which a program belongs; setting a display priority level for displaying a program cell corresponding to said category; setting a display mode for displaying said program cell corresponding to said category; and generating a program guide in which a plurality of program cells are arranged two-dimensionally based on said display priority level, said display mode, and said program information.
According to this aspect, a program guide is generated, in which a plurality of program cells are arranged two-dimensionally based on a display priority level set corresponding to each of categories, a display mode corresponding to each of the categories, and program information. Thus, a user can identify a category via the corresponding display mode for displaying the corresponding program cells, in the program guide. The user can also view program cells in the display modes corresponding to respective categories, in the program guide, whereby the user can quickly locate an area or areas crowded with programs belonging to his/her favorite categories. Further, the user can set the display priority level for each category, and hence can rank the categories which he/she wishes to display in the program guide, and can display the program cells based on the rankings in the program guide, whereby the user can create his/her own program guide.
Further, the program guide allows the user to identify a category via the corresponding display mode for displaying the corresponding program cells, and hence, there is no need to enter a lot of textual information in each program cell as in conventional equivalents, whereby a greater number of program cells can be displayed within a single screen.